One of the big issues that I grappled with during the planning stages was where to stay. Do I stay in a super modern – techno hotel or a traditional, authentic ryokan. I am usually driven by location and décor, then I will look at the price. Within the first two parameters, there is quite a bit of choice. When it came to the third, there was not a large disparity in price unless you go really high-end or hostel. Narrowing down my choices was hard. Ultimately, I ended up with a little of both: a high-tech, modern hotel in Tokyo and a hostel/minshuku in Kyoto.
There are a few tips that I would like to give you when booking your lodging so that you can avoid the same mistakes:
- Make sure that you are clear about the room cost – is it per room or per person?
- Get a written confirmation.
- Make sure that you are clear about the toilet and shower situation. If you want/need a toilet and shower in your room, you will have to stick with a traditional hotel or ryokan (although not all ryokans have private baths).
With those few things in mind, here is a basic run-down of your choices:
Hotel Remm Akhibara: Really cool bathrooms and massage chair in each room.
Hotels:
Hotels range from super luxurious to the love hotel, which charges by the hour. Most hotels have western style beds and bathrooms, as well as restaurants and all the mod cons. Business hotels offer reasonable prices for shorter stays. Theses hotels are usually close to train stations. Rooms are small, but clean and provide all the necessities.
Love Hotels:
If only we had not been with our daughter and my step-mother, my husband and I would have definitely checked into a Love Hotel – just for the experience. Love Hotel Hill in the Shibuya district of Tokyo is perhaps the country’s most famous area for these houses of fun. Given the close living quarters in Japan, Love Hotels make sense for couples who require some privacy.
Capsule Hotels:
Definitely not for me – where is the air? However, many others find these quite acceptable if not a curiosity. Usually used by commuters and business men, these generally consist of six to eight capsules built into a wall, just big enough for a person to lay down. I am hyperventilating just writing about them!
Youth Hostels:
There are plenty of youth hostels dotted throughout Japan. Most hostels require a membership, which can be purchased at the first hostel. Japanese Youth Hostels are safe, friendly and clean and are used to accommodating international travelers. Japan Hostels commonly apply a pre-midnight curfew, so these are not for the “all-night” partiers.
Ryokan:
Ryokan are Japanese style inns that provide the culture and traditions of historic Japan. Ryokan range from small wooden traditional buildings, where you bump your head every time you stand up, to the large concrete structures that are common-place in Japanese cities. Although they can be as luxurious as hotels, ryokan will not provide all the mod-cons but focus on quality and traditional service, atmosphere and relaxation. Ryokan rooms are usually furnished with tatami flooring, a low table and cushions (zabuton) for sitting. Most ryokan rooms contain a tea set to enjoy some Japanese tea. Guests sleep on a futon which is rolled out and put away in an ‘oshiire’ (a closet for futons) each day by the Ryokan staff.
Most ryokan offer breakfast and dinner, which is included in the room rate. In many instances, meals are served in the guest’s room or taken in a large communal dining area. Ryokan pride themselves on their food and many Japanese choose a ryokan for its meals. The meals served are traditionally Japanese, consisting of fish, rice and sweets fresh from the local area. Some ryokan will give you the option of not taking the meal, which will reduce the price.
Most ryokan have an onsen (Japanese spa, which may be either natural hot springs or man made. They often have communal hours and gender separated hours. Some ryokan offer private baths. See my post Japan: Customs and etiquette to learn how to use the onsen properly and not embarrass yourself.
Minshuku:
I like the minshuku option as it provides a true “Japanese experience.” They are more like Japanese style b&bs or budget ryokan. In most cases, minshuku are simply a room, section or floor of a family’s home with a shared bathroom and common room. Like ryokan, rooms are simply furnished and guests are provided with a futon to sleep on which they may be required to put away and roll out themselves. In some cases, meals are included in the price or available for a small cost.
Temple Lodging:
I did not get to stay in a temple but I really wanted to – especially since we are vegetarians and could experience the Buddhist vegetarian meal – shojin ryori. Temple lodging, which are called shukubo, are similar to traditional Japanese inns, and anyone can stay regardless of his or her religion. If you are so inclined, you can join in their Zen meditation. The prices are not necessarily cheap but the experience seems worth it. When researching the shukubo, I found that most don’t have English speaking staff or take credit cards. It appears that the best place to partake in the temple lodging is is Mt. Koya. There are over 100 temples in Mt. Koya, and about 50 temples offer lodgings. I will definitely do this on my next visit to Japan.
Here are a few websites with information about and lists of lodging options:
General listings:
- Japan Accomodations has a great listing of many different style lodgings.
- Japan Travel Online lets you find lodging by neighborhoods and close to sites.
- Rakuten Travel offers good discounts and has complete listings
- Japanican.com is another great source for lodging.
- Japan Economy Hotel Group provides a good listing of less expensive lodging.
High End:
- Exquisite Ryokan The name says it all.
- IKYU lists the top hotels. Check out Claska in Tokyo. I really want to stay there!
Hostels:
- Japan Youth Hostels
- Hostel World’s Japan listings
Temple Lodging:
- Temple Lodging in Japan provides a good listing of the various temple lodging and travel instructions
- Article about Vegetarian Cuisine and Mt. Koya
Hot Springs and Nature Experiences:
- National Park Resort Villages of Japan contains a list of lodging, all of which are located in national parks.
- Hot springs onsen throughout Japan.
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